Upper Elementary Meditation Practice

Carla teaches students about meditation.

This year we wanted to help the students be more mindful in their thoughts and deeds. To do this, Carla taught them a simple form of meditation using four pebbles. The pebble practice was invented by Thich Nhat Hanh as a tangible way for children to focus on their breathing and connect with the world around them. The pebble practice is a very simple meditation you can do anywhere. To meditate is to think quietly about something. In this meditation, each pebble represents a different image in nature: a flower, a mountain, calm water, and space. Each image embodies a particular quality. The flower is our beauty, our freshness. The mountain represents our solidity. Calm water helps us to cultivate stillness and calm. The last pebble represents space and freedom.

The first time we did the practice, the students drew pictures of the four objects the pebbles represent. Then they had time to collect their four pebbles. The second time we did the meditation, students used their four pebbles. Later each student was able to make a pebble bag to keep their pebbles in until the next time they practice. Each circle has a set of cards for students to lead themselves through the meditation.

If you are interested in this form of meditation for your child, it was taken from the book A Hand Full of Quiet, Happiness in Four Pebbles, by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Students practice meditation in the 9-12 classroom.

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